For thousands of Hays CISD families, students, employees, and community members, the announcement marks the upcoming end of an era.

Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright has announced he will retire in February 2027 after more than nine years leading Hays Consolidated Independent School District and nearly four decades in public education. His retirement concludes a career that has coincided with one of the most transformative periods in the district's history as Hays County has continued to rank among the fastest-growing regions in Texas.

By the time he steps away, Wright will have become the second-longest-serving superintendent in Hays CISD history, behind only the district's founding superintendent, Moe Johnson, for whom Johnson High School is named.

"It has been the honor of my life to serve as your superintendent," Wright said in a farewell message to staff, parents, and the community announcing his retirement.

Guiding Hays CISD Through Rapid Growth and Change

When Wright joined Hays CISD on Jan. 1, 2018, the district served approximately 19,125 students. Today, enrollment exceeds 25,000 students, with continued growth projected for years to come as new neighborhoods and families continue moving into Hays County.

Managing that growth has required both long-term planning and significant investment.

During Wright's tenure, Hays CISD has helped oversee more than $1.5 billion in voter-approved bond projects, resulting in new schools, expanded campuses, improved transportation, upgraded technology, enhanced safety measures, and additional educational opportunities designed to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding student population.

Those projects include:

• Four new elementary schools
• The district's fourth comprehensive high school
• Expansions at all six middle schools
• Safety and security upgrades
• Technology improvements
• New school buses
• Campus infrastructure and maintenance projects

The investments have helped prepare the district for continued population growth while expanding programs available to students across Hays CISD.

Academic Performance Shows Significant Improvement

Board members credit Wright's leadership with helping improve academic outcomes across the district.

When he arrived in 2018, three elementary schools and one middle school were either failing or at risk of failing the state's accountability system. Today, Hays CISD holds a districtwide B accountability rating, with no campuses designated as failing.

One of Wright's earliest priorities was strengthening early literacy through phonics-based instruction and districtwide academic assessments designed to monitor each student's progress. According to the district, reading achievement has since improved from below expectations to exceeding both regional and state averages.

Building Student Engagement Beyond the Classroom

Among Wright's signature initiatives was the creation of the 100% Hays Initiative, encouraging every middle and high school student to participate in at least one extracurricular or co-curricular activity.

Whether through athletics, fine arts, career and technical education competitions, student leadership organizations, orchestra, rocketry, aviation, wrestling, or competitive water polo, the initiative focuses on helping students develop leadership skills, teamwork, relationships, and a stronger connection to school.

That philosophy of engagement also helped inspire a new graduation requirement beginning with the Class of 2027, requiring students to complete at least 40 hours of community service before earning a diploma.

Prioritizing School Safety

Several defining moments during Wright's tenure reinforced the district's emphasis on student safety.

Following the tragic shootings in Sutherland Springs and Santa Fe during his first year as superintendent, Wright established Hays CISD's dedicated Chief Safety and Security Officer position, which later expanded into a full district safety and security department focused solely on campus protection and emergency preparedness.

He also led districtwide responses during the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation affecting public education funding, and the 2022 fentanyl crisis that claimed the lives of six Hays CISD students.

Following the fatal 2024 Hays CISD school bus crash involving an intoxicated concrete truck driver, Wright directed the district to immediately implement school bus safety enhancements beyond state requirements, despite investigators determining the district was not at fault.

Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom

District leaders also point to Wright's support of programs designed to remove barriers to student success.

Under his leadership, community assistance programs including Hays Clothes Closet and Hays Hope2Go expanded significantly, increasing partnerships, donations, and services for students and families experiencing financial hardship.

Board Secretary Esperanza Orosco, who helped establish both programs, credited Wright's commitment to supporting students' basic needs.

"You can measure the quality of a leader, or a person, by how they treat those who are in the least powerful circumstances," Orosco said. "Dr. Wright supports the programs that support the needs of our students and staff members – with an emphasis on removing barriers to success."

Board Praises Nearly a Decade of Stable Leadership

School board members say Wright provided consistency during a period of extraordinary growth.

"We are so lucky as a district to have found Dr. Wright and benefited from his leadership for the past decade," Orosco said. "Now, we enjoy academic success; benefit from sound, thoughtful, and genuine servant leadership; and we've become the most employee-friendly school district in Texas."

Board President Byron Severance said Wright's longevity helped establish long-term goals that positioned the district for continued success.

"During Dr. Wright's tenure, Hays CISD has enjoyed tremendous growth and success," Severance said.

Severance also noted that unlike many previous administrations, Wright's extended tenure provided stability during years of rapid enrollment increases and significant facility expansion.

Statewide Recognition

During Wright's leadership, Hays CISD earned statewide recognition.

In 2021, Wright and the Hays CISD Board of Trustees were recognized as one of Texas' four Honor Boards through the Texas Association of School Administrators' School Board Awards program.

In 2024, Wright was also nominated in the Texas Superintendent of the Year competition.

District leaders say he has become a frequent mentor to superintendents across Texas while regularly presenting at state and national education leadership conferences.

A Career Spanning Nearly Four Decades

Wright began his education career as a student teacher in 1988 before becoming a classroom teacher and coach in 1989.

Over the next four decades, he served in numerous leadership roles across Texas, including assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in Woodville ISD, Huntington ISD, Fredericksburg ISD, and ultimately Hays CISD.

He earned his bachelor's, master's, doctoral degree in educational leadership, and superintendent certification from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Education has long been a family tradition. Wright's father served as a school superintendent, his mother worked as a school nurse, and his wife, Missy, also retired after a career in Texas public education.

Looking Ahead

After retiring in February 2027, Wright says he looks forward to spending more time with his children, grandchildren, and granddogs. Even so, he says his commitment to public education will continue.

"I shall miss the thousands of amazing teachers, staff, school board members, and administrators I am lucky enough to work with every day," Wright said. "Most of all, I will miss the students and their excitement as they begin to learn about and understand the world."

He added, "Though I will be retiring, I won't be ending my advocacy for public education."

The Hays CISD Board of Trustees is expected to begin the process of selecting the district's next superintendent in the months ahead. For families across Hays County, that transition will shape the next chapter of leadership for one of Texas' fastest-growing public school districts.

As the district prepares for that transition, residents can stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for continuing coverage of Hays CISD leadership updates and other local education news.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.